NATO officials say they have caught Iran red-handed, shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the Taliban for use against NATO forces, in what the officials say is a dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the United States and Great Britain.

"It is inconceivable that it is anyone other than the Iranian government that's doing it," said former White House counterterrorism official Richard Clarke, an ABC News consultant.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stopped short earlier this week of blaming Iran, saying the U.S. did not have evidence "of the involvement of the Iranian government in support of the Taliban."

But an analysis by a senior coalition official, obtained by the Blotter on ABCNews.com, concludes there is clear evidence of Iran's involvement.

"This is part of a considered policy," says the analysis, "rather than the result of low-level corruption and weapons smuggling."

Iran and the Taliban had been fierce enemies when the Taliban was in power in Afghanistan, and their apparent collaboration came as a surprise to some in the intelligence community.

"I think their goal is to make it very clear that Iran has the capability to make life worse for the United States on a variety of fronts," said Seth Jones of the Rand Institute, "even if they have to do some business with a group that has historically been their enemy."

The coalition analysis says munitions recovered in two Iranian convoys, on April 11 and May 3, had "clear indications that they originated in Iran. Some were identical to Iranian supplied goods previously discovered in Iraq."

The April convoy was tracked from Iran into Helmand province and led a fierce firefight that destroyed one vehicle, according to the official analysis. A second vehicle was reportedly found to contain small arms ammunition, mortar rounds and more than 650 pounds of C4 demolition charges.

A second convoy of two vehicles was spotted on May 3 and led to the capture of five occupants and the seizure of RPG-7mm rockets and more than 1,000 pounds of C4, the analysis says.

Also among the munitions are components for the lethal EFPs, or explosive formed projectiles, the roadside bombs that U.S. officials say Iran has provided to Iraqi insurgents with deadly results.

"These clearly have the hallmarks of the Iranian Revolution Guards' Quds force," said Jones.

The coalition diplomatic message says the demolition charges "contained the same fake U.S. markings found on explosives recovered from insurgents operating in the Baghdad area."

"We believe these intercepted munitions are part of a much bigger flow of support from Iran to the Taliban," the message says.

The Taliban receives larger supplies of weapons through profits from opium dealing, officials say, but the Iranian presence could be significant.

"It means the insurgency in Afghanistan is likely to be prolonged," said Jones. "It would be a much more potent force."

NATO officials say they have caught Iran red-handed, shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the Taliban for use against NATO forces, in what the officials say is a dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the United States and Great Britain.

I won't believe it until the unbiased seer of all, the NYT shows it to be true. /s

Yup, red handed. And Bush bombed... oops no he didn’t. He spent all of his political capital and is afraid to do what is right. He leaves our soldiers to be blown up by Iranian munitions, does nothing.

13
posted on 06/06/2007 4:56:10 PM PDT
by Sam Ketcham
(Amnesty vote dilution, & increased taxes to bring us down to the world poverty level.)

They’ve been aiding thos killing Americans, Iraqis, and Coalition forces in Iraq at least since 2005. Then you throw in what they’ve done in Lebanon to thwart democracy and independence, the military logistics and explosives they’ve given to Hezbollah to kill Israelis, and the aid they give to Hamas and you have a very big state sponsor of terror. Why does Bush not take his case to the public? I cannot understand how we’ve let Iran undermine the people of that region and kill Americans.

Iran wants open war. They just want the U. S. to react to one of their acts of war in a way that let’s them claim we started it (in a way that much of the [muddle-headed] world will accept their claim.)

Rather than random reports, I hope there is some strategery going on here.

Perhaps this article, coming at the heel of the news about the Turks going after Kurds, is setting the stage for taking out Iran's N program. The Turkish part of this might be an indication that some exchange has been made for their help, as if they did cross the border, they were probably given some green light to do so. And this news about being caught red handed with material for terrorists is building a case for furthur action.

Our government will do something about it. yup. sad ain’t it? they could shove a nuke up our rear end and I doubt anything would be done. We are too scared to engage in a world war of WWII proportions. *yawn*

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